Biomedical subjects

Yoshihiro Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to Yoshihiro Watanabe.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Pheochromocytoma presenting as an abdominal emergency: association with perforation of the colon.

A pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor derived from the adrenal medulla (or from chromaffin cells of sympathetic ganglia). Its symptoms derive mostly from the excessive release of catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline). Hypertension is the most recognized feature of this disease, but gastrointestinal manifestations can on rare occasions be just as serious and life threatening. This report describes a rare case of a 70-year-old woman with pheochromocytoma who developed an acute abdominal emergency with shock and panperitonitis as a result of perforation of the descending colon which was effectively treated by surgical removal of the tumor and the perforated colon. There have been 2 such cases in the English literature in whom a pheochromocytoma was associated with perforation of the colon. Successful surgical removal of such a pheochromocytoma has been not reported previously. Our case demonstrates the importance of recognizing that a pheochromocytoma presents with a wide spectrum of manifestations, and rapid treatment brings improvement to the patient.

Abdomen, Acute↗

PubMed2002

Expression of nonmuscle myosin heavy chain B (SMemb) in rat allogeneic kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Investigators have reported that the nonmuscle myosin heavy chain B (SMemb) expression is enhanced in various types of glomerular diseases which develop into nephrosclerosis. In renal transplantation, transplant glomerulitis is often recognized during acute rejection. Therefore, we hypothesized that SMemb plays important roles in acute kidney rejection. To evaluate the role of SMemb in the development of kidney rejection, we examined its expression in rat kidney transplantation models. METHODS: We used Lewis rats as recipients and Wistar rats as donors. Group I: controls; group II: isograft model; group III: allograft model; group IV: as group III +10 mg/kg/day of ciclosporin A (CsA), and group V: as group III + CsA administration for 5 days postoperatively. Histopathological and SMemb immunohistochemical studies were completed. RESULTS: Clear enhancement of SMemb expression was found on day 3 in group III. In groups I, II, IV, and V, SMemb was faintly expressed in the glomerular cells. However, after termination of CsA treatment, the SMemb expression increased. The expression of SMemb was higher in the allograft model than in either isograft or CsA-treated models. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistological investigations show that the SMemb expression was significant from an early stage at which histopathological reactions were hardly identifiable. This, therefore, could be useful for an earlier diagnosis of acute rejection.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2002

[Classification of long-term clinical course of 'atypical psychosis': a 20-year follow-up study at a medical school hospital].

To study the long-term clinical course and outcomes of atypical psychosis, 8 patients diagnosed with atypical psychosis were observed for more than 12 years (mean, 20 years). Retrospective examination was performed, particularly with respect to clinical features at each episode. The overall course of each case was classified as one of the following three types: Type I--"Recurrent confused state" type. Patients frequently repeated acute transient confused or dream-like states in a similar way, sometimes and/or for part of the episode accompanied by a floating paranoid-hallucinatory state. Duration of psychotic episode was short, persisting for a few days to about one month. Type II--"Manic-depressive illness similar" type. After a long course of disease, the predominantly early middle-aged patients (30- to 40 years-old) demonstrated fewer original characteristic features of acute confused or dream-like states. Instead, manic or depressive episodes tended to predominate. Duration of psychotic episodes exceeded the duration of type I episodes, to a maximum of about 3 months. Type III--"Appearance of residual state" type. After several episodes characterized by transient confused state during middle age, residual states consisting of a slight depressive state, reduced spontaneity and flattening of emotions appear. These states become durable and the periodicity of the disease disappeared. We conclude that the core group of atypical psychosis patients presents with confused symptoms as a clinical feature of episodes, and with the recurrent confused state type representing the long-term clinical course. "Shift to manic-depressive illness similar" and "appearance of residual state" types were considered to be derived from the core group, according to the interplay of personality structure and viable dynamics.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Induction of choline acetyltransferase mRNA in human mononuclear leukocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, a T-cell activator.

The induction of mRNA for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), which catalyzes acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis was investigated in human mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), a T-cell activator, using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Stimulation of MNL by PHA induced the expression of ChAT mRNA, and potentiated ACh synthesis. ChAT mRNA induction required more time than the induction of interleukin-2 mRNA. Expression of the gene encoding the vesicular ACh transporter, which mediates ACh transport in cholinergic neurons, was not observed in PHA-stimulated MNL, suggesting that the mechanisms controlling ACh release from T-lymphocytes differ from those in cholinergic neurons. These findings demonstrate that activation of T-lymphocytes up-regulates ACh synthesis in the blood, and suggest that ACh plays an important role as a neuroimmunomodulator besides its role as a neurotransmitter.

Blotting, Southern↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pancreaticobiliary maljunction in monozygotic twins--a case report.

We experienced a case of pancreaticobiliary maljunction in monozygotic twins. While one of the twins suffered from gallbladder cancer with poor prognosis, the other was not associated with biliary malignancy. Ultrasonography, endoscopic ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography are effective in diagnosis of this disorder before occurrence of biliary cancers. This case is not only of academic interest for familial occurrence, but also of clinical interest in the early detection of pancreaticobiliary maljunction.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗